Tube roller



April 27, 1948. I

J. J. BEGLEY TUBE ROLLER Filed Dec. 27, 1946 Patented Apr. 27,1948

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF cE John J. Begley, Arlington, Mass, assignor to Mutual Boiler Insurance Company,.Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 27, 1946, Serial No. 718,763

7 Claims. (01. 15339) This invention relates to a tube roller and more particularly to such a roller which is adapt ed to return to its normal position in the wall of a tube, a bulge or other irregularity formed thereon.

Watertube boilers comprise a series of metallic tubes the surfaces of which are subjected to heat while water is circulated through the interior thereof. The steam generated in such boilers is utilized for heating, power and processing of various kinds. Bulges frequently form on such a tube due to the formation of localized heat insulating areas on the wall of the passage of the tube and each such area causes localized overheating of the adjacent portion of the wall of the tube resulting in an outwardly extending bulge. Such areas are caused by deposits of magnesium, calcium or other salts or of oil carried by the water. Such bulgesare also frequently caused when the heating means is oper ated so as to direct a flame at a particular area of the exterior wall of the tube.

As soon as such a' bulge begins to form a pocket or depression is [formed on the inner wall of the tube and deposits of oil, metallic salts or the like are attracted to the depression so that the insulating effect of the deposit gradually increases causing the bulge to increase in size more and more rapidly. If the bulge-is permitted to grow sufficiently the tube bursts requiring a shut down for replacement thereof.

To prevent the bursting of boiler tubes it is customary periodically to shut down the boiler to inspect the tubes and to hammer the bulges thereby to reform the wall of the tube to its original uniform tubular contour. Such an operation is unsatisfactory because of the difliculty of access to the bulges for hammering,

because the tubes are frequently supported at their ends so that the tube springs away from the hammer requiring many blows to remove a bulge and because it is substantially impossible to thus hammer a bulge without leaving indentations in the surface of the tube. Furthermore the smaller bulges normally are not thus treated because of the difficulty of removing them by hammering. Accordingly relatively frequent and prolonged shutdowns are necessary with resultant loss of use of the boilers. V

While this invention isparticularly adaptable for use in rolling bulges of water tube boilers it is not limited to such use'and it may be utilized to return to its normal position a bulgeor any other deformity in the outer wall of any tube.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for rolling tubes which eliminates the foregoing disadvantages of the hammering method.

A further object is to provide a novel and emcient tube roller.

Further objects are to provide such a roller which is economicalin use and to provide one which may be produced economically.

, Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Y v i V Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tube roller embodying this invention;

'-Fig. 2'is a section on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, with parts broken away and shown in section, of the upper part of the strap portion of the apparatus of Figs. 1

and 2 and showing two adjustment straps in through the perforations ill but which are long enough to prevent accidental removal of the mounting member while in use.

The mounting member 16 is provided inter mediate its ends with an interiorly threaded transverse passage through which extends the exteriorly threaded portion IQ of the handle 2!]. The U-shaped roller support 2| is secured to one end of the handle 26- and supports the roller 22 for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The roller 22 preferably is provided with a concave surface as illustrated.

Thus 'withthe strap in in place upon the tube I 4 the legs II and [2 support the mounting member l6 which in turn supports the handle 20 and roller 22. The distance between the longitudinal axis of the roller 22 and the mounting member it may be varied by turning the handle 20 about its longitudinal axis thereby causing longitudinal travel of the handle relative to the mounting member 6 due to the i-nterengagement of the threads l9 with the threads on the wall of said transverse passage. In such position loosely to receive the lug 28 which is provided" -on the corresponding end portion of the sstrap- 25. The end of the strap 25 is also provided with a cavity adapted looselyto"receive' theflug 29 which is provided On the "end portion of: the

strap 25. Thus the strap Iii may be supplemented with the strap 25 by merely zinsertingi the lug 28 in the perforation 21 and itlm'aybe further supplemented with the strap 26 by insertingthe, lug 29 in said-cavity of the strap 25. Additi'onalsupplemental straps ma-ybe-provi'd-ed by providing theend portion ofthe strap? fi with a cavity beneath the lug 29 to receivea projecting lug "of-a supplemental strap.

Preferably the roller22 and the strap I are made of high grade-'s'teelor its equivalent:

"Inoperation' the"-strapf|3 'is"1owere'd upon-the tube I 4 adjacent to -the bulge 3il ,'--so'-that the concave end portion of the strap rests upon the wall ortne tube; One end -=of the mounting member isthenpassed through the perforation I 5 of one of the legs I I and by sliding the mounting member' from left to right looking I at Fig.2 the opposite end of the mounting memberm'ay then be 'insertedin the perforation "I5 of the other leg I 2 and the mounting member is then pivotally supported by the legs II and I2 aeilJustrated-in Figs; "1; andZ. "The distance between the longitudinal axis of the roller 22 and the longitudinal axis of the mounting member'l'fi is then adjusted by turning the handle 20 about its'lo'ngitu'dinal axis; The roller is'then caused to' traverse the bulge-3t, or a-p'ortionthereof by moving *the handlezil up and down thus causing rotation of the roller about its longitudinal axis and rotation of the mounting member I6. "The bulge may be smoothly and-evenly returned to the original tubular contour of the tube, by periodicallymoving the strap Ill longitudinally of;andaxially of,

the tube I 4 and byperiodically increasing the distancebetween'the axis of the roller 22 and the axis ofthe mountingmember I6: itbeing understood-of course that-the operator rolls-the bulge between each such movement and adjustment by reciprocation of the handle 20-.

The apparatus is removed-from the tube by moving the mounting member I6 from right to left looking 'atFi gj2' while concomitantly slightly elevating the mounting member and thus withdrawing one end of the mounting member from the perforation I5 in" the leg I 2. "That end is then lowered and the'mountin'g member is moved from 'left to right looking atFigfiZthus with drawing the other end from' the perforation in the leg I I. The strap I3 isithen vvithdr'awn from the tube I4 the tube passing through theopen end of thestrap.

Use" with one or more supplemental straps 25; 26*, is the same except that'the -straps are first nested in the strap II) (as shownin Fig. 3) prior to placing the :apparatus upon:the tube.

"From the foregoing it will be apparent that l have provided a 'novelvand :efficient: tuberoller which is economical in use and in production and which eliminates the disadvantages of the hammering method of the prior art.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended-claims. V

I claim:

1. A tube roller comprising a U-shaped strap member adapted to straddle a tube, said strap member including a pair of legs and an end portion extending between the legs and a roller finechanisnvhavin'g-cne endxpivotally supported fbyone -of said legs and the other end pivotally supported' bythe' other leg thereby to form an axis-htepivotal movement for the roller mechanism, said roller mechanism comprising a roller adapted to bear on the tube and mounted for pivotal movement about an axis located in offset relationship torsaid axis of;pivotalumovementifor the roller-mechanism; and: means by'whichv-in use the roller mechanism is-moved about-:itssaid axis'for pivotal-movement. s

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein-the means by: which the roller; mechanism .--is moved about its said axis ions-pivotal movement com prises a handle operatively connec-ted-toithe roller mechanism. I I -3. The scombinationnofr claimml wvherein-IL-said roller mechanism comprises a mountingemernber extending: between saidlegs-and having oneend pivotally supported by one ott-said' ilegs'.-and--the other end pivotally' supported i-by, the other: leg, thereby-- forming; {said- 7 axis :of ,lpiyotala movement for the roller"mechal-lisrn; and -'a-.roller:-support mountedv on said -mounting member, 1 said roller beingv pivotally mounted on--saidvsuppQrt-.

4. The icom-binationnof claim-J3.wher ein-,rsaid roller mechanisminclndes an adjusting. mechas nism associated with :said rollerssupporteand said mounting member wherebyethe distancebetween the-axes :ior-pivotaLmovement.of the roller and ofvthe rollermechanismimayrbe varieds 1 i --5. The "combinationezofeclaimv l wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises ran; .rexteriorly threaded rod secured to the-"roller. supportwand an interiorly'threadedtransversepassagethrough the. mounting member, -the -threadsvoi said rod operatively engaging thee-threadsref saidepassage whereby thedistance between the axesafor pivotal movement ofthe roller I and therollen mechanism may-bevariedb-y rotationtof saidrod.

-6.--Theicombination of .claim@5 -wherein--r the adjusting mechanism lcomprises aasingle rod the roller support comprises ea, ab-ifurcated member secured-to brie end --of said-rodand-the rollereis pivotally mounted hetqweeni the biiurcated spore tions ofsaid biiurcated member.' I

7. E The combination! of claim 6 wherein .-:-the

rod-includes anuextension -formingwtheflmeanseby which l the' roller mechanism 4 isamoved :aboutnits axis for; pivotal, movement i-n ruse;

amenmceshntn "The: following-inferences :are'ot recorunn tlie file of this patents V i 'UNITEU'S'TATESIPKTEN'TS c Number: "Name Date:

980;!)14 BernnIL '.1 j. J an i'lflgclilfl 

